Saturday, March 06, 2010

Artist Inspiration Interview: Spilling Over

I have some really fun things planned for this little blog space of mine over the next several months.. one of those is sharing some inspiration from a few of my creative friends.

I recently had the honor and privilege of talking with Artist Extraordinaire, Diana Trout.

Diana's new book, Journal Spilling,is a favorite, and I was interested to find out a little more about the author, herself.

She graciously participated in an inspiration interview for The Red Door Studio.

So without further adieu...

1. Diana, you have an extensive Fine Art background. How did you make the jump from Fine Art to this Mixed-Media world?

"It’s been a very twisty road. The Philadelphia art world is conservative (though slowly changing) and I had trouble finding where my work fit. When a friend introduced me to Teesha Moore’sStudio Zine, I discovered this whole world of Mixed Media. Oh joy! Here were my people!"

2. The atmosphere of your book is very comfortable. I love the conversational tone. Was Journal Spilling inspired by these conversations that you had with yourself or was this developed as a teaching style/tool?

"Oh thanks, Tracie. I’m so glad that the tone carries through. I’d say that working through my own concrete block was the first hurdle. I know, first hand, what it is like to have a loud whiney critic in your ear. I’m glad to bring my process full circle and share what I had learned."

3. Where did the idea of describing your critic come from?

"It was definitely a gradual process. I started out describing him in words (rather unkindly) and moved on to drawing. At some point, it occurred to me that he looked sad. That led me to empathize with him, as amazing as that sounds!"

4. Currently, what is your favorite art work that is not your own?

"I’ve had a huge crush on Charlemont’s The Moorish Chief for years. He’s the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on. I get complete lost in the whites of his gown! He hangs in the Phila. Museum of Art and I have a print hanging in my studio.

"I love working with resists! I’m currently working on small watercolors, mixed media pieces of the architecture of my imaginary world, The NorthEast Kingdom (NEK). I use crayons, fluid masking liquid and gel glaze pens to resist the watercolor."

6. Currently, what is your favorite art product?

"Watercolors."

7. Do you have multiple journals? If so, how many do you have?

"I do work in multiple journals.

Two spiral bound journals for my artwork: one for my mixed media work which contains patterns, color play, sketches of my Citzens, architecture and maps for the NorthEast Kingdom. I use the other journal for color exploration. For personal art journals I have a small and large journal. I keep a composition book for when I just want to write.

I like to make mini maze books to clip to magazines that I’m reading for small notes, drawings, patterns, words, etc. When I’m done with the magazine, I put the maze book into either my personal or work journal."

8. Do you ever tear pages out of your journals? If so, what do you do with them (i.e. recycle into new works, throw them away?)

"Sometimes I plan to tear a page out as part of the journaling process. I’ll tear a page out if it needs to be in another journal. If I don’t like a page or it seems too intensely private, usually I’ll either cover it with gesso or clip a piece of paper over it that says “no peeking). I’ve written over top of completed journal pages: “this is a really ugly journal page.”

9. What is a typical day in the life of Diana Trout?

"I’m usually fully tanked on tea and in the studio by 8 (ish). Morning is my most creative time so I work on NEK, magazine/book projects or workshop planning. Mid-afternoon is computer time: marketing, sales and pursuing new business, answering emails. The usual business-y stuff. I play with my kitty, take a walk, talk to my husband at dinner. If I’m not teaching an evening class, I blog and do some journaling, go through the blogs, yahoo and ning groups and magazines in the evenings so I know what is going on out there!

It’s a very full schedule and I’m grateful everyday that I’m making this art-business work."

THANKS DIANA!

Stay Tuned for more Journal SpillingGoodness. I'll be posting a book review and GIVEAWAY on Wednesday.

10 comments:

Tracie - thanks so much for this; and what a wonderful idea, to interview other artists. I love to know what makes other professionals 'tick'.

I really like 'Journal Spilling' which my dear friend (Kristin Steiner) sent me for my birthday last year. I took it away with me on a holiday to Wales, and as it rained most of the time, I had great fun working through the exercises and 'spilling' words and paint. Cost me a trip into the local town and art shop, but it was the perfect excuse to buy some extra paper and watercolours.

wonderful interview Tracie. I love reading these artist to artist interviews...and how full Diana's days are! (I get a lot done each day, but in a very random fashion...) I've started Diana's book and can't wait to read more and play with her ideas and techniques.

This post was so much fun to read. Right now "Journal Spilling" is on my desk as I continue to desperately try to figure out art journaling.....Diana's book makes it much more approachable for me. I enjoyed the interview! ~Kathy